Israel calls on Canada to list Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps as terrorist group
Israel's ambassador to Canada is calling on Ot‐ tawa to list the Islamic Rev‐ olutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization, as the world grapples with the fallout of Iran's aerial attack on Israel on Satur‐ day.
In an interview Sunday on Rosemary Barton Live, Id‐ do Moed said there was no further evidence needed to justify the designation and that the move should be the first in a broader internation‐ al response.
"The first initial step would be to designate the [IRGC] as a terrorist organiza‐ tion. That needs to happen now, it has to happen today," Moed told CBC chief political correspondent Rosemary Barton.
"This is really a wake-up call for all of us, we have to act," he said.
Iran attacked Saturday with what Israel said was about 170 drones, more than 30 cruise missiles and more than 120 ballistic missiles. Few of the weapons made it past Israel's anti-air defence systems and the country sus‐ tained little damage, it said Sunday.
Iran had vowed revenge since an April 1 airstrike in
Syria killed two Iranian gen‐ erals inside an Iranian con‐ sular building. Iran accused Israel of being behind the at‐ tack, but Israel has not claimed responsibility for it.
Iran said that after its own strike, it "deemed the matter concluded."
WATCH | Israeli ambas‐ sador discusses Iranian at‐ tack:
Israel's military has said it is discussing possible fol‐ lowup options.
"What's important to note is that when Israel is hit, Is‐ rael will hit back," Moed said, when asked Sunday about possible further escalation.
Individuals sanctioned, but not entire organization
The federal Liberal gov‐ ernment has for years re‐ sisted calls to designate the IRGC in its entirety as a ter‐ rorist organization. It has ar‐ gued that such a listing would be a blunt-force ap‐ proach that could affect lowlevel people who were forced to serve in the paramilitary force. The CIA says conscripts make up more than 50 per cent of the IRGC.
The federal government has used the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act to bar high-ranking members of the Iranian regime from entering Canada.
WATCH | Retired Canadi‐ an politician sees Iran as a 'sevenfold threat':
In January, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the gov‐ ernment was still exploring the possibility of listing the IRGC.
"We know there is more to do to hold the regime to account, and we will continue our work, including contin‐ uing to look for ways to re‐ sponsibly list the IRGC as a terrorist organization," Trudeau said.
In a separate interview Sunday on Rosemary Barton Live, Canada's ambassador to the United Nations, Bob Rae, said the government would continue to think about how to address the IRGC issue.
"I think it's something that we've looked at .... There are consequences to that deci‐ sion that I think have to be thought through in terms of the numbers that are cov‐ ered by such a blanket desig‐ nation," he said.
"We've preferred to take a much more targeted ap‐ proach in terms of individu‐ als being named, and I think we have to continue to re‐ flect on that."
WATCH | U.S. ambas‐ sador addresses support for Israel:
The United Nations Secu‐ rity Council is to meet Sun‐ day, on Israel's request. But Rae said it was unlikely that member nations such as Rus‐ sia would endorse a fullthroated condemnation of Iran.
"I do think it gives an op‐ portunity for countries to make their case and for peo‐ ple to understand how really unacceptable Iran's escala‐ tion of this [is]."
In a statement released on Sunday, the Group of 7 condemned Iran's attack and expressed solidarity with Is‐ rael.
"With its actions, Iran has further stepped toward the destabilization of the region and risks provoking an un‐ controllable regional escala‐ tion. This must be avoided," the statement said.
The G7 said it would con‐ tinue to work to "end the crisis in Gaza, including by continuing to work towards an immediate and sustain‐ able ceasefire and the re‐ lease of hostages by Hamas, and deliver increased hu‐ manitarian assistance to Palestinians in need."